1982 SD33 SWB Nissan Patrol - spare-wheel/jerry-can attachment at rear

[cueldee]

Hello forum members,

I recently purchased a spare-wheel/jerry-can carrier for my vehicle in Ebay, which I've recently received up in Townsville, North Queensland. Attached is a photo of the carrier installed on the vehicle from which it was taken, and a front and rear photos of the carrier at my home. I've got all the bits and pieces and I get the drift of how it's to be installed, but there are some tricky bits and I was wondering whether any forum members might have installed the same carrier and whether they came with detailed instructions. The carrier is a product that's been designed for this Patrol body type (it came off a slightly later model), and someone might recognise the make and point me in the direction of the manufacturer if they still exist, with a view to seeing if instructions are still available. Look forward to hearing from you.

As an aside, I have a reconditioned but unused 12v starter motor that someone may have a use for. I had it as a spare and got it reconditioned to replace the one on my vehicle in the mistaken belief that it was 24v. Turned out not to be, after the event! Will post it on Patrol Parts after posting this message.

Regards from North Queensland.

[threedogs]

A member here will be very interested as he has a geniune nissan jerry can.

[cueldee]

Hello threedogs,

Were you suggesting by your reference to a 'genuine Nissan jerry can' that the carrier may be a Nissan product? Certainly the forked rubber bit on the tailgate that lends support to the carrier in the closed position, is backed up by what appears to be a specially fabricated member that slips inside the tailgate and to which the forked rubber item is through-bolted. Any further ideas?

[threedogs]

IMO its an OE carrier, in the archives a member awhile back retro fitted one.
Inside the "D" piller it was double skin with plate and nuts welded on, wasa very detailed thread with pics the lot

[cueldee]

The more I look at the fabricated bits and pieces threedogs the more I think you're right that the carrier is an OE item. I'm pretty new to the forum and I'm not sure where the 'archive' section is to be able to track down the thread you referred to . I've quickly looked back through the pages relating to the MQ/MK but couldn't see any obvious reference to the carrier. Any thoughts on where I might find it?

[my third 256]

go the advanced search box
rh side at the top almost
type in what you want and press magnifyung glass

[cueldee]

Thanks for the suggestions threedogs and my third 256. I did have a look via the Search box and nothing leapt out at me, but perhaps you may be able to assist in narrowing down the search further. I'm pretty confident now that the carrier is an OEM accessory, but the local Nissan dealer couldn't turn up anything on their microfiche, not that that means a lot. I've thought about doing an email to Nissan in Japan because surely there must be something somewhere in their archives about the installation of this accessory. As I said in my original post I can see how things are attached for the hinges on the passenger side pillar and lugs on the driver's side, but I can't figure out how to locate the holes for the fabricated pillar inside the tailgate because they aren't accessible through the removable access plate on the inside of the tailgate. I'm assuming that there may have been a template locating the holes from the outside. The attached photo shows the fabricated pillar that goes inside the tailgate and the rubber fork that is attached on the outside, together with a rubber bumper that attaches lower down. The pillar is also bolted through the top edge of the tailgate. Also attached are two photos of two other fabricated pieces to which are intended to slip inside the side pillars where the tail-lights are, at the bottom of which are bolted the backing plates for a hinge on the passenger side and a lug on the driver's side. But, there's already brackets inside the side pillars housing the tail light clusters, which would have to be removed to accommodate these fabricated pieces that came with the carrier. I don't have a problem with dispensing with these fabricated pieces and just using the backing pieces because the holes can be located from the outside by setting up the carrier against the car body. However, it may be that the whole carrier may have to have been ordered at the time of original purchase as a factory installed addition before the assembly of the tailgate and tail-light housing were completed.
Anyway that's about as far as I can take it at the moment, and if I can't track down some further info on the installation procedure I'll post this thread on the General section, as there'd have to be some old hands who've long since upgraded to later models but who can recall some background to this puzzle!
Hope someone can help!